Born in England on February 12, 1809. Same day as Ab. Lincoln. He was also given credit for the theory of evolution.

He developed a scientific theory of biological evolution that explains how modern organisms evolved over long periods of time through descent from common ancestors

Collected specimens of plants and animals

* Collected 68 Species
* Species vary locally
* Species vary overtime

Natural Selection- the process by which organisms with variations most suited to their local environment survive and leave more offspring

Fitness - how well an organism can survive and reproduce in its environment

Survival of the Fittest- The difference in rates of survival and reproduction

Fossil Records - Many recently discovered fossils form series that trace the evolution of modern species


Common Ancestors- According to the principle of common descent, all species-living and extinct- are from ancient common ancestors


DNA Structures- DNA evidence may indicate how 2 species related to another, even if their body structures don't offer enough clues

Vestigial - Inherited from ancestors , but have lots much at all of their original function due to different selection pressures acting on the descendant


Homologous Structure- Structures that are shared species and that have been inherited from a common ancestor.


Analogous Structures- Body parts that share a common function, but not structure


Evolution Theory explains that the existence of homologous structures adapted to different purposes as the result of descent from a common ancestor

Environment Effects on species over time-

***Building mountains, opening coastlines, changing climates and geological forces have altered habitats of living organisms repeatedly throughout the earth's history

Disruptive Selection - When individuals at one end of the curve have higher fitness than individuals in the middle or at the end

Stabilizing Selection - When individuals near the center of the curve have higher fitness than individuals at either end


Disruptive Selection - When individuals at the outer end of the curve have higher fitness than individuals near the middle of the curve

Miller, Kenneth R., and Joseph S. Levine. Miller & Levine Biology. Boston, MA: Pearson, 2010. Pearsonsucessnet. Pearson Education, 2010. Web. 23 Mar. 2014.

Miller, Kenneth R., and Joseph S. Levine. Miller & Levine Biology. Boston, MA: Pearson, 2010. Pearsonsucessnet. Pearson Education, 2010. Web. 23 Mar. 2014.
BookLinkTagsEditDelete
Portrait of Charles Darwin. N.d. Web. 23 Mar. 14.